Пуаро ведёт следствие
IV. The Mystery of Hunter’s Lodge
Haveringdonotwastetimetakingphotographsofinteriorstheyareunderexposedandnotintheleastartistic.”
ItseemedtomethatPoirot’sstylewasunnecessarilyfacetious.Ialsofanciedhewasashadejealousofmypositiononthespotwithfullfacilitiesforhandlingthecase.Hisrequestforadescriptionoftheclotheswornbythetwowomenappearedtometobesimplyridiculous,butIcompliedaswellasI,amereman,wasableto.
AtelevenareplywirecamefromPoirot:
“AdviseJapparresthousekeeperbeforeitistoolate.”
Dumbfounded,ItookthewiretoJapp.Hesworesoftlyunderhisbreath.
“He’sthegoods,MonsieurPoirot!Ifhesaysso,there’ssomethinginit.AndIhardlynoticedthewoman.Idon’tknowthatIcangosofarasarrestingher,butI’llhaveherwatched.We’llgouprightaway,andtakeanotherlookather.”
Butitwastoolate.Mrs.Middleton,thatquietmiddle-agedwoman,whohadappearedsonormalandrespectable,hadvanishedintothinair.Herboxhadbeenleftbehind.Itcontainedonlyordinarywearingapparel.Therewasnoclueinittoheridentity,orastoherwhereabouts.
FromMrs.Haveringweelicitedallthefactswecould:
“IengagedheraboutthreeweeksagowhenMrs.Emery,ourformerhousekeeper,left.ShecametomefromMrs.Selbourne’sAgencyinMountStreet—averywell-knownplace.Igetallmyservantsfromthere.Theysentseveralwomentoseeme,butthisMrs.Middletonseemedmuchthenicest,andhadsplendidreferences.Iengagedheronthespot,andnotifiedtheAgencyofthefact.
